ECNEC meeting approves development projects for various areas

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Asad Umar chaired meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) here on Wednesday.

The meeting approved development projects in various areas of the country.

The ECNEC discussed and accorded approval of the project for evacuation of power from hydro power projects of Suki Kinari in district Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kohala district in Muzaffarabad and Mahal district in Bagh, in Azad and Jammur Kashmir at a cost of Rs 79, 929.73 million.

The main objective of the project is construction of 500 kV transmission network to provide interconnection facilities for evacuation of electricity from the above mentioned projects being constructed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), said a press release.

The ECNEC discussed and approved Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP) at a cost of Rs 12,848.11 million. The project aims to support the scale up of solar power in Sindh and increase access to electricity.

The project will also improve energy security and fulfill Pakistan’s international commitments on climate change.

The ECNEC also directed the Power Division to come up with a report covering all facets relating to power production, its effective evacuation/ transmission and distribution.

The report, the ECNEC observed, would help set a direction for undertaking power projects in the future. The meeting approved rehabilitation project of Dargai hydroelectric power station in Malakand, KP, at a cost Rs 4,050.364 million. Completion of this project will help enhance the capacity of the power station to 22 MW.

The meeting considered proposal from the Ministry of Water Resources to include Tangir Hydropower in the Diamer Bhasha Dam project and approved the revised cost of the project at Rs 479.686 billion.

The meeting discussed and approved Balochistan Water Resource Development Project (Zhob and Mula river basins) at a cost of Rs 16,453.40 million. The project will benefit districts of Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi and part of Kalat in the Baluchistan province.

The ECNEC was updated on the Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project. The committee was informed about the expansion in scope of work and other issues necessitating revision in project cost. Taking into account the facts, ECNEC approved the revised cost of the project at Rs 66.437 billion with June 2019 as stipulated date of completion of project.

The provincial government informed that a soft opening of the project will be held in March 2019. The project envisages construction of 27.373 km long dedicated signal free BRT corridor, out of which 11.85 km will be at grade, 12.266 km elevated and 3.254 km through underpasses. In addition to the main BRT corridor, additional elevated structures having total length of 2.18 km will also be constructed.